WebProNews

Author: Val Powell

  • Kanye West Steps Out With Kim Kardashian For LACMA Art & Film Gala

    Date night for rapper Kanye West and his wife Kim Kardashian was spent on Saturday, November 1, at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s fourth annual Art & Film Gala in Los Angeles. West and Kardashian dressed to the nines for the star-studded event and were seen giving each other affection on and off camera.

    West looked dapper in black leather trousers, a matching suit jacket and white button-down shirt, an ensemble he paired with brown suede boots. His wife, meanwhile, revealed a lot of leg in a royal blue Cushnie et Ochs dress with an asymmetric silhouette and slit. Kardashian accessorized her look with Tom Ford heels and a Cartier necklace.

    Secrets

    A photo posted by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on

     

    Secrets

    A photo posted by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on


    The couple seemed to have fun on the red carpet of the LACMA event. Kardashian posted a picture of her and West on Instagram, unsmiling, and captioned it with the words, “Smiling on the inside lol.” In actuality, the couple was seen smiling on the red carpet, with West reportedly gazing at Kardashian fondly as she took her turn with the cameras. West was even seen whispering sweet nothings in his wife’s ear, which made her giggle.

    As the event died down later that night, West and Kardashian were again seen being affectionate with each other, this time away from the cameras. While waiting for their vehicle at the valet station, Kardashian had her arms around West and the two were reportedly caught stealing kisses in an unguarded way, making it appear as if they were more in love with each other than ever.

    The event was attended by celebrities such as Kate Hudson, Michelle Rodriguez, Dakota Johnson, Kate Beckinsale and Jennifer Lopez, all of whom were decked out in their best formal wear. Hosted by Eva Chow and Leonardo DiCaprio, the LACMA Art & Film Gala also honored director Quentin Tarantino for his work in film.

  • Phil Collins Donates Personal Collection Of Artifacts To New Alamo Museum

    Phil Collins Donates Personal Collection Of Artifacts To New Alamo Museum

    Putting his intense fascination with the Alamo to good use, singer Phil Collins has donated part of his personal collection of Alamo artifacts to a museum dedicated to the famous battle. Collins handed over on Tuesday, October 28, some of what is considered to be the world’s largest private collection of Alamo artifacts to the state of Texas, which will later be housed in a $100 million museum called the Phil Alamo Collins Collection.

    “When I got older and became successful, I decided to spend my money on original items from the Alamo rather than on Ferraris. This completes the journey for me… These artifacts are coming home,” Collins said at a news conference held across the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas.

    Collins reportedly became obsessed with this part of American history when he was a child in London and watched the 1955 film Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier. In an earlier press conference for the museum in June, Collins explained his fascination with the Alamo. “I’ve had a love affair with this place since I was about five years old. It was something that I used to go and play in the garden with my soldiers,” he said.

    Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson accepted the donation and announced that a measure will be introduced in January to Texas legislature to make Collins an “Honorary Texan”.

    “Texans are deeply indebted to Phil Collins,” Patterson said. “He is giving us back our heritage. Now these Texas treasures need a home where all can see them and study from them and learn about how Texans won our liberty.”

    The collection that Collins donated includes a fringed pouch owned by Davy Crockett, as well as one of the last guns in existence previously owned by the famous Texan. It also includes a Bowie knife owned by the legendary James Bowie and letters from garrison commander William B. Travis.

  • Nina Pham Reunited With Bentley After The Dog’s Ebola Quarantine

    On Saturday, November 1, Dallas nurse Nina Pham was reunited with her dog after its 21-day quarantine on suspicion for Ebola infection. Pham, who had contracted Ebola while caring for a patient and successfully recovered from the virus, met her dog Bentley again at Hensley Field, the decommissioned naval air base at which it was being quarantined.

    Pham was apparently overjoyed to see Bentley, whom she called “one of my best friends,” and said she was “excited to take Bentley home so we can start picking out his gifts for his two-year birthday party next month” in a short statement she made on Saturday.

    Pham and Bentley were separated when the Dallas nurse tested positive for Ebola on October 12, leaving the King Charles Cavalier spaniel’s fate uncertain. Pham was reportedly brought to the National Institutes for Health in Maryland, while Bentley was cared for by the Dallas Animal Services. Dogs are supposedly not known to be carriers of the Ebola virus, but because it was uncertain whether they could transmit it from someone affected by it, Bentley was placed under a quarantine of 21 days and given twice-daily check-ups by veterinarians in hazmat suits.

    While Pham was cleared of the virus and released on October 24, Bentley was still under quarantine until November 1. The dog underwent tests for Ebola, the last of which happened on Thursday, October 30. Bentley tested negative for Ebola at all times, which meant he could go home at the end of his quarantine.

    “He’s such a joy, you can’t help but love this little guy. I can’t wait to see him on talk shows when he’s all healthy and out of here,” said Dr. Cate McManus, operations manager of Dallas Animal Services in an interview with CNN.

    Pham said that getting Bentley back “just feels like Christmas literally,” and that being with her dog was one step closer to her “feeling whole again.”

  • Kendra Wilkinson Renews Vows With Hank Baskett

    After all the heartbreak and screaming, Kendra Wilkinson has renewed her marriage vows with Hank Baskett. According to In Touch, Wilkinson and Baskett reaffirmed their marriage on the season finale of WEtv’s Marriage Boot Camp.

    “Hank presented her with a wedding ring, a replica of the ring he gave Kendra when they got married that she flushed down the toilet after the cheating scandal broke. Then he asked her to renew their wedding vows—and she accepted!” an insider of Marriage Boot Camp told the publication.

    Wilkinson’s co-stars, however, are reportedly shocked that she has decided to take Baskett back because they thought neither of the two were being honest with themselves, especially since Baskett failed a lie detector test before that. Wilkinson apparently even snapped at co-star Tami Roman, who warned her about Baskett. “Kendra lost it and yelled, ‘Don’t f— with me. I’m not a pushover,” said the source.

    Wilkinson apparently feels that a five-year relationship is huge investment to throw away and feels that the money comes more easily when she’s with Baskett. “She is scared of what life would be like as a single mom. Kendra believes in all the stereotypes—she wouldn’t want to date as a mother and that’s one big reason why she has taken back Hank,” said a source to HollywoodLife.com.

    However, the source said that Wilkinson and Baskett weren’t “out of the woods” yet. “Kendra knows that she will make more money with him than without him, and at the end of the day, Hank’s a great father, so she wants to keep him in her life. Kendra doesn’t want the alternative,” added the source.

    Meanwhile, the latest episode of her show Kendra On Top shows Wilkinson in an earlier stage of their process, confronting Baskett on whether he had a fetish. “Did you go to cheat on me and realize it was a guy? Because I’ve heard that happen to a lot of people,” said Wilkinson in a clip from the show posted by People.

  • Al Sharpton Reveals Secret To His Dramatic Weight Loss: No Dinner

    Reverend and civil rights activist Al Sharpton recently weighed in at 129.6 pounds, which is less than half of his previous weight of 305 pounds and only one pound away from being classified as underweight. Sharpton revealed that the secret to his dramatic weight loss over the years was that he stopped eating so much and started exercising more.

    However, it’s more the former than the latter, looking at his daily intake. Sharpton reportedly consumes just about 1,000 calories a day, spends about 20 minutes on the treadmill each day, and doesn’t eat after 6 PM.

    “I could take all the cartoons in the tabloid newspapers, but I couldn’t take my daughter punching me in the belly and asking why I was so fat. That was my inspiration to lose the weight. And probably the last time anyone hurt my feelings,” said Sharpton.

    Six years ago, Sharpton was eating fried chicken three times a day, but now he’s down to just a little more than one salad a day. “I was absolutely content just doing the salad. As a kid who grew up chubby, I just marveled at the fact that I could be thin,” Sharpton said.

    Sharpton also dished on his daily menu, which is composed of three pieces of wheat toast and a Doctor Earth green juice from Juice Press for breakfast; a salad of lettuce, tomato, onion, a chopped hard-boiled egg, and balsamic vinaigrette for lunch; and another green juice for dinner.

    David Seres of the Institute of Human Nutrition at Columbia University Medical Center said that Sharpton’s current weight is better than his previous of over 300 pounds, but it might make him vulnerable to sickness. “His intake would make a nutrition expert nervous,” said Seres.

    Sharpton, however, isn’t bothered by his simple diet. “I’m conditioned now so that I never get hungry,” he said.

  • Lamar Odom Reportedly Refusing To Sign Divorce Papers, Hoping To Reconcile With Khloe

    Since wife Khloe Kardashian filed for divorce 10 months ago, Lamar Odom has still refused to sign the divorce papers. Odom is reportedly still hoping to reconcile with his reality TV star wife, but Kardashian is afraid to return to his infidelity and drug use.

    “He refuses to sign the divorce papers,” a family source told the Boston Herald about Odom. Another source close to Odom told the publication that the former basketball star was still hoping for a reconciliation with Kardashian. The family source said that Kardashian feels she has no closure without a divorce from Odom, but also can’t completely let go. “She still loves Lamar. It’s a sad situation,” the source said.

    Odom has reportedly been dodging Kardashian so he could avoid signing papers. Kardashian has legal options available to her, though, since it has been weeks since she has seen Odom. According to papers filed on October 9 by a Los Angeles Superior Court Family judge, she can either file a Request For Dismissal or file a Request To Enter Default.

    While a Request For Dismissal entails calling the divorce off, a Request To Enter Default is filed if a spouse hasn’t responded in 30 days or can’t be found. If Kardashian is granted a default, she can go through divorce proceedings without the participation of Odom. Divorce proceedings may take place even if one of the parties doesn’t show up, as long as there are no properties or children between the two parties.

    Kardashian’s new show, Kourtney & Khloe Take The Hamptons begins on November 2, Sunday. The question of whether Odom will be featured on the show looms. A source close to the show said Odom won’t be on the show.

    “He has not even been filmed so he’s not in any scenes, but there is one mention of Lamar in the season,” said the source to HollywoodLife.com. Unlike last season of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, where Odom and Kardashian’s divorce was a central storyline, the new show won’t feature it in depth.

    This video may have been the reason Khloe Kardashian filed for a divorce from Lamar Odom

  • Muhammad Ali Is Alive And Well 40 Years After The ‘Rumble In The Jungle’

    October 30 marks the 40th anniversary of his iconic boxing fight with George Foreman, and legendary boxer Muhammad Ali is alive and well. Despite suffering from a debilitating disease such as Parkinson’s, Ali is reportedly feeling well overall and his spirit remains strong.

    Ali’s daughter Hana Ali said that Parkinson’s disease has affected her father’s ability to speak and walk, but that his overall health is good. “He doesn’t mind the press talking about him dying. Sometimes he looks at me and he’ll go, ‘I’m not dying,’” said Hana.

    When Ali missed the October 8 showing of the documentary tribute to him called I Am Ali, speculation on the boxer’s health began. Hana said, however, that her father missed the premiere of the documentary because of his involvement at the 2nd Annual Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards on September 27 in Louisville.

    — MailOnline Sport (@MailSport) October 17, 2014

    “The last time I talked to my Dad, he was joking again about making a comeback,” said Hana. “He said, ‘I’m going to take my title back for the fourth time.’ Whenever I hear him joking like that, it makes me feel good. He’s still in there.”

    Ali will reportedly be attending private events on October 30 to celebrate the anniversary of the Rumble In the Jungle, but his spokesman said that the boxing champion would not be granting interviews.

    Rumble In The Jungle, the fight between Ali and heavyweight champion George Foreman, happened on October 30, 1974 in Zaire. More than 50,000 spectators showed up to see Ali fight Foreman.

    It was during Rumble In The Jungle when Ali invented his “Rope-a-Dope” tactic of hunkering by the ropes and letting Foreman tire himself out by punching Ali’s arms. After seven rounds of grueling fight, Ali managed to knock Foreman out with a precision right hook in the eighth round.

    — Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) October 29, 2014

    Both Ali and Foreman were given $5 million each by President Mobuto of Zaire for the fight, which made the victory even sweeter for Ali in 1974.

  • Catherine Zeta-Jones Sells Old Home, Buys New Mansion In Posh New York Area

    In order to move to an even bigger place, Catherine Zeta-Jones and her husband Michael Douglas have sold their home on Guard Hill Road in Bedford, New York for $7.9 million. Zeta-Jones and Douglas have traded in their six-bedroom, six bathroom house there for a grand 15,458-foot Colonial mansion on 13.28 acres of land in the same neighborhood.

    The couple reportedly purchased their new home in Bedford for $11.25 million. Zeta-Jones’ new mansion contains eight bedrooms and 18 bathrooms, as well as a designer kitchen and spa facilities such as a gym, steam room, sauna and two indoor pools. Zeta-Jones and her family can also relax outside at the outdoor pool and tennis court. They can entertain guests at a cottage with two apartments on their property as well as cultivate their hobbies with a greenhouse and a garage big enough for a car collector.

    The new estate, which was built in 1895, gives Zeta-Jones and her family enough space for a favorite activity, which is horseback riding. Several equestrian amenities are reportedly on the property, which is also located close to Zeta-Jones’ favorite horse stables, the Bedford Riding Lanes.

    Bedford is within driving distance of New York City, making it a favorite place in which to settle for many celebrities. Zeta-Jones and Douglas now include celebrities such as Bruce Willis, Martha Stewart and Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds among their neighbors.

    Their move will occur just in time for Zeta-Jones and Douglas to celebrate their 14th wedding anniversary on November 18. They married in 2000 at the New York Plaza Hotel and have two children. In August 2013, Zeta-Jones and Douglas split temporarily, with their publicists issuing a statement that said, “Michael and Catherine are taking some time apart to evaluate and work on their marriage.”

    However, the pair reunited earlier this year, with Douglas saying in a magazine interview, “Like a lovely orchid, or anything else that’s nurtured, marriage prospers and grows, but if it’s ignored, it withers.”

  • Sandra Bullock Attends To Extra Who Fainted On Her Movie Set

    Not only is Sandra Bullock a great actress, but she also apparently has a heart of gold. When an extra on her movie set fainted while filming, Bullock reportedly swooped in to help take care of the fallen woman.

    On Sunday, a female extra fainted during an outdoor shoot of the film Our Brand Is Crisis, which stars Bullock. The Academy Award winner reportedly sat beside where the woman had fallen on the concrete and helped give her extra water. Bullock also fanned the woman until an ambulance arrived at the scene. The woman was believed to have suffered from heatstroke and was brought to a hospital for treatment.

    — Us Weekly (@usweekly) October 29, 2014

    Bullock’s co-star, Billy Bob Thornton, was also on the scene, but stood a little apart from the group attending to the woman. Bullock is currently filming Our Brand Is Crisis in Louisiana, which has recently been experiencing high temperatures. The temperature in New Orleans, Page Six reported, reached 82 degrees on Monday. The actors, including Bullock, and extras were required to wear warm clothes on set, which may have caused the woman who fainted to feel excessively hot under the Louisiana sun.

    — TMZ (@TMZ) October 29, 2014

    Our Brand Is Crisis is based on a 2005 documentary of the same name that featured the use of US political campaign tactics to elect Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada as president of Bolivia in 2002. Bullock plays the role of a retired American political consultant, Jane Bodine, hired by Gonzalo to run his campaign, while Thornton plays the part of the opposition’s campaign manager.

    The film is produced by George Clooney and helmed by the director of Eastbound & Down and Pineapple Express David Gordon Green. Also starring Scoot McNairy, Anthony Mackie and Ann Dowd, Our Brand Is Crisis is expected to hit theaters in 2016.

  • Puppy-Sized Spider Killed By Scientist Sparks Outrage Online

    Piotr Naskrecki, a Harvard researcher, was recently crucified online for killing the puppy-sized spider he found while walking through a rainforest in Guyana at night. Naskrecki reportedly killed the spider, which was a South American Goliath birdeater, and brought it back to a museum for study. His blog post about the incident sparked a firestorm of criticism on the Internet.

    Naskrecki’s Facebook page has been inundated with hateful comments because he killed the spider. He even received a death threat for his actions, but Naskrecki maintains that it was part of his job to do it. “We usually bring these substances that are designed to put them down very gently,” he said of the chemicals he used to neutralize the spider.

    The researcher responded to negative comments about him online with a blog post titled, “Involuntary Bioslaughter and Why a Spider is Dead”. In it, Naskrecki explained that he was in Guyana to catch specimens for the Center for the Study of Biological Diversity at the University of Guyana.

    “Collecting and preservation of physical specimens is an integral, irreplaceable element of biological sciences. There is hardly a branch of biology that does not rely on the examination of organisms’ bodies… be it for the purpose of their identification, understanding of the functions of their respiratory system, or the speed of transmission of neural signals,” Naskrecki wrote. He added that because the birdeater was the largest spider in the world, it was the “perfect specimen to teach spider morphology.” Naskrecki also claimed that the species was not protected nor endangered, so his actions were not a threat to the species’ survival.

    According to the Harvard University’s Museum of Comparative Zoology, where Naskrecki works, the spider can weigh up to six ounces. Its name is apparently misleading as the spider doesn’t eat birds, but prefers to hunt for worms, rats and other small animals.

  • Sexy Ebola Nurse Costume Hits Online Store, Sparks Anger Online

    Adding to a growing list of less-than-tasteful “sexy” Halloween costumes available, the sexy Ebola nurse costume from BrandsOnSale.com is sparking anger online. The costume comes with a short white dress, face shield, breathing mask, safety goggles and blue latex gloves. Yellow knee-high boots may also be purchased from the site to complete the look.

    BrandsOnSale.com came out with an initial Ebola Containment Suit Costume before its sexy version. “The deadly Ebola virus has landed in the United States and the crisis has reached new levels of domestic escalation. You are sure to be prepared if any outbreak happens at your Halloween party. This will literally be the most ‘viral’ costume of the year,” states the description provided by the company. The description for the sexy version, meanwhile, reads, “The short dress and chic gas mask will be the talk of Milan, London, Paris, and New York as the world’s fashionistas seek global solutions to hazmat couture.”

    These actual items available on BrandsOnSale.com realized a previous Internet hoax, which involved a Sexy Ebola Nurse costume that was actually a real Sexy Breaking Bad costume manipulated with Photoshop. The fake advertisement for the costume said it included a Hazmat dress, Hazmat leggings, safety goggles and a prop gas mask.

    According to ABC News, Twitter users had mixed reactions to the Sexy Ebola Containment Suit Costume from BrandsOnSale.com, but many deemed it insensitive considering that thousands of people all over the world have died from the Ebola virus. “I’m in complete and utter disgust,” wrote one Twitter user, while another posted, “The fact that there’s a sexy ebola nurse costume proves the sexy costumes have gone out of control.”

    Despite negative reactions, BrandsOnSale.com might still be cashing in on the trend. Last month, the National Retail Federation predicted that Americans will spend $2.8 billion on Halloween costumes in 2014, with $1.4 billion of that amount on adult costumes for about 75 million grown-ups.

  • Ku Klux Klan Garb Used To Protest Burqa In Australian Parliament

    In protest of the repeal of an interim rule requiring people with facial coverings such as burqas to be seated separately from the public galleries, one Australian protester wore a Ku Klux Klan hood in Parliament. The protester was accompanied by a man wearing a motorcycle helmet and another man wearing a niqab, and all three men attempted to enter the Australian Parliament House on Monday, October 27.

    Presiding officers of Parliament made a rule on October 2 for people wearing facial coverings to sit in a separate area usually reserved for schoolchildren and required all visitors to temporarily remove their garments at the entrance. The rule was intended to keep protesters dressed in concealing garments from entering Parliament. However, after harsh criticism of the rule, it was repealed starting on Monday.

    The protesters, identified as Sergio Redegalli, Nick Folkes and Victor Waterson, said that they were part of a group called “Faceless” and were opposed to the wearing of the burqa in public places. They also strongly believed that the “polictical ideology” of Islam was “contrary” to Australian beliefs.

    Police reportedly stopped the protestors as they made their way from the Old Parliament House to the Parliament House forecourt. The protestors were told that the Klu Klux hood and motorcycle helmet would have to be taken off, but the person wearing the niqab was allowed to keep it on. In the end, all three men were screened as part of normal procedures and emerged without their facial coverings.

    Since the facial coverings brought by the protesters were apparently considered as “protest paraphernalia,” the Department of Parliamentary Services required removal of the coverings. This was reportedly in accordance with a longstanding policy that protest paraphernalia was only allowed in authorized assembly areas but not in other areas of Parliament.

    The Australian Christian Lobby’s Queensland director, Wendy Francis, said that the protest was hurtful to Muslim women in the country and that it was “distressing” to see a Klu Klux Klan outfit in Parliament. “To identify that [the KKK] with a Muslim woman is extremely confronting and hurtful,” said Francis.

  • Jennifer Aniston: Contender For Oscar Award With New Movie ‘Cake’

    Her turn as a woman debilitated by chronic pain in the film Cake won her rave reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival, and Jennifer Aniston may yet have a chance at winning an Oscar for it. Cinelou Releasing will reportedly be letting Cake hit theaters for a one-week run in December, which will help the film—and Aniston—qualify for Academy Awards consideration. A wider release is planned for Cake in 2015.

    Producers have revealed that Aniston was their only choice for the role when they first read the script. “When my life and producing partner Ben Barnz and I first read Cake just 14 months ago, we knew we had to go to Jennifer Aniston. It was the most obvious un-obvious choice—she’s mega-talented, but we’ve never seen the whole range of her extraordinary comic and dramatic abilities showcased in one role,” said Daniel Barnz, director and executive producer of Cake.

    In the movie, Aniston tones down her glamorous looks to play a woman unconcerned about her appearance because she has to deal with chronic pain. Her character is seen wearing oversized sweaters and greasy hair, and has alienated most of the people around her with her foul mood, except for the housekeeper she pays to hang around, played by Adriana Barraza. Aniston’s performance in the film was reportedly praised by critics, and although the film received mixed reviews, it was given a standing ovation when it was shown at the Toronto International Film Festival.

    Cake and Aniston’s performance may get even more praise as the film is distributed more widely when it hits theaters again next year in January. Because Cinelou Releasing reportedly has a pact with Warner Bros. to release six of its titles next year internationally, Aniston in Cake will be exposed to an international audience.

    “We were very pleased with how Cake turned out and are excited about all the opportunities the film presents on multiple levels,” said Cinelou Films producer Courtney Solomon.

  • Gia Soriano Dies From Injuries Sustained From Marysville Shooting

    A girl who was shot along with four other teens when a student opened fire in a Washington state high school died of her injuries on Sunday, October 26, more than two days after the incident. Gia Soriano, 14, passed away at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, raising the death toll of the shooting to three.

    “We are devastated by this senseless tragedy. Gia is our beautiful daughter and words cannot express how much we will miss her. We’ve made the decision to donate Gia’s organs so that others may benefit. Our daughter was loving, kind and this gift honors her life,” said Soriano’s family in a statement, which was read by Dr. Joanne Roberts at a press conference held in the hospital. The Soriano family also thanked hospital workers for their care and asked that their privacy be respected at this time.

    Soriano was injured when a popular freshman student named Jaylen Fryberg opened fire in the cafeteria of Marysville-Pilchuck High School north of Seattle, on Friday, October 24. Fryberg also reportedly shot his cousins 15-year-old Andrew Fryberg and 14-year-old Nate Hatch, who remain in critical and serious condition, respectively, at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Other victims included 14-year-old Shaylee Chuckulnaskit, who is also in critical condition, as well as another female student who was shot dead by Fryberg on Friday before he was killed by what is believed may be a self-inflicted wound. As yet, it is unclear whether Fryberg shot himself intentionally or accidentally during a struggle with a teacher.

    Fryberg was the popular son of one of the prominent families of the Tulalip tribe. Members of the closely-knit community at the nearby Tulalip Indian reservation are apparently shaken by the incident. Matt Remle, a tribal guidance counselor, said that he knew some of the children involved in the shooting well, describing them as “really happy, smiling kids.” He said that no one knew what motivated Fryberg to do it.

    “Maybe it would be easier if we knew the answer. But we may never know,” said Remle.

  • Lori Douglas Nude Photos Prompt Inquiry Against Her

    Associate Chief Justice Lori Douglas is facing removal from her position due to an inquiry on nude images of her being posted on the Internet without her consent. On Tuesday, October 29, the Canadian Judicial Council’s independent counsel, Suzanne Cote, said that some judges on the committee that appointed Douglas to her position in 2005 were not aware of the photos and would have decided differently. Cote also argued that the members of the Canadian Judicial Council panel should see Douglas’ photos because they were part of evidence.

    In 2003, when Douglas was still a lawyer in private practice, her husband Jack King, also a lawyer, reportedly gave three of many intimate photographs he had taken of his wife to a client named Alex Chapman. King also allegedly enticed Chapman to have sex with his wife. In response, Chapman alleged sexual harassment and received $25,000 from King’s firm to keep quiet. However, Chapman kept the photographs and sent them to the media in 2010.

    Douglas has claimed all this time that she had no knowledge of her husband’s actions. Now, Cote is saying that the photos call into question whether the public can believe that Douglas can impartially decide cases.

    “The photos have been made publicly available without my knowledge or consent and in violation of her privacy rights,” Douglas argued in her notice of motion. “Such conduct by others is not capable of supporting a recommendation of removal (from the bench).”

    The inquiry aims to determine whether Douglas failed to disclose knowledge of the nude photos on the Internet when she applied to become a judge, whether she changed a diary entry after learning she was being subject to an investigation, and whether her presence on the bench undermines the integrity of the justice system.

    Cote argued that Douglas was obliged “to explicitly disclose that the (pictures) had been in the public domain.” Cote also argued that it was necessary for the panel to see the pictures to come to a conclusion. “You cannot simply ignore what it is that these images depict,” she said.

  • Lindsey Vonn To Return To The Slopes For 2014 Alpine Ski World Cup Tour

    Champion skier Lindsey Vonn is excited about returning to competitive skiing after taking a break due to a knee injury she sustained during the 2013 world championships. Vonn is hoping to join the Alpine Ski World Cup Tour in December at Lake Louise.

    “So I have the whole month of November to get ready in Vail and, hopefully I’ll be in good shape and I’m looking forward to being on the podium again,” Vonn said.

    Vonn’s injury kept her from competing at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. However, Vonn is setting her sights on competing in the 2015 Alpine Ski World Championships, which will be held in Beaver Creek, Colorado in February, the first time in the US since 1999. “Since I didn’t make the Olympics last year because of my knee injury, I feel like the world championships this year in Vail are going to be my Olympics. I’ve been waiting for the world championships to be in the United States for basically my entire career. I’m very much looking forward to it, and my friends and family will all be there, and of course the hometown crowd so hopefully I can pull something out of my hat for everyone,” she said.

    As excited as she is, Vonn is reportedly taking it slow, too. For the World Cup, she will be missing the first four women’s races of the season and will join the competition for the downhill and super-G races at Lake Louise in Alberta in December. Vonn has been training cautiously with drills and some gate training, then progressing into super-G and giant slalom courses. However, she said that she hopes to train with the rest of the team eventually.

    “I had heard a couple of interviews where other girls had expected me to retire, and that’s just not what’s going to happen. I’m very fired up for this season and I’m looking forward to being back in the starting gate and being aggressive again,” said Vonn.

  • Mia Hamm Appointed To Board Of Directors Of Italian Football Club Roma

    Footballer Mia Hamm was recently appointed to the board of directors of the Italian club Roma, along with former National Hockey League player Cam Neely and former Disney board member Stanley Gold. Hamm was nominated by Roma shareholders on Monday, October 27, increasing American presence on the team’s board. Roma is also owned by Boston-born James Palotta, who took over the team two years ago.

    Hamm, Neely and Gold will be replacing outgoing members Thomas DiBenedetto, Claudio Fenucci and Joe Tacopina. Hamm will be placed in charge of the Roma academies.

    Hamm is a celebrated soccer player who led the US women’s soccer team to two World Cup titles, including the first women’s title in 1991. She was also named women’s FIFA World Player of the Year in 2001 and 2002, in the first years the awards were given.

    — World Soccer Talk (@worldsoccertalk) October 28, 2014

    Considered one of the most decorated female soccer players of all time, Hamm was recently the first woman to be inaugurated into the World Football Hall of Fame in Pachuca, Mexico. Throughout a career spanning 17 years, the 42-year-old athlete earned 275 caps and 158 goals for the US women’s national team.

    Hamm’s co-director on the board for Roma, Neely, is also an accomplished athlete, beginning his career in 1983 when he was 9th pick in the overall draft for the NHL. His career spanned 13 years, during which he played for the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins. Neely was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2005 and went on to serve as Vice President of the Boston Bruins before becoming President of the team in 2010. Under his leadership, the Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 2011.

    Board members on Roma serve three-year terms, as will Hamm, Neely and Gold. Upon leaving the board of Roma recently, Tacopina moved on to become President of second-division club Bologna, where Fenucci will be joining him.

  • OJ Simpson Files Appeal For His Jail Release With Nevada Supreme Court

    The fate of OJ Simpson now lies with the Nevada Supreme Court after the football star’s lawyers filed an appeal to get him released from jail. Simpson’s lawyers are contesting that a judge had been wrong to deny him a new trial for his 2008 kidnapping and armed robbery conviction in light of information that hadn’t surfaced before.

    Patricia Palm, Ozzie Fumo and Tom Pitaro, the lawyers of Simpson, filed the submitted final brief one month after Clark County prosecutors submitted documents saying that there was no need for a new trial for Simpson. Simpson’s lawyers argued that his lawyer in the 2008 trial, Yale Galanter, had conflicted interests and spoiled his client’s defense. Meanwhile, Galanter reportedly denied that any conflict existed.

    Simpson is currently serving nine to 33 years in prison after he was found guilty on multiple felony charges for leading a group of men in a confrontation with two sports memorabilia dealers in a Las Vegas hotel in 2007. Two of the men reportedly testified that they had brought guns to the encounter at the request of Simpson.

    Simpson didn’t testify during his first trial, but he testified in May 2013 that he didn’t know the men had been carrying guns during the encounter. Clark County District Court Judge Linda Marie Bell heard his claims of ineffective counsel but ruled that he did not deserve a new trial in November 13 because the evidence was overwhelming against him. Bell also said that any errors at the original trial wouldn’t have affected its outcome.

    Simpson’s lawyers are arguing in the brief submitted to the Nevada Supreme Court that the outcome would have changed if the issues raised now were raised then. They said Galanter should have challenged the multiple convictions and punishments of Simpson, and that the jury should have been given the option of lesser kidnapping and theft offenses upon deliberation.

  • Nicki Minaj Says, “I Never F–cked Wayne, I Never F–ked Drake” (New Single)

    If “Anaconda” got people talking about Nicki Minaj and her body parts, her latest track to drop called “Only” may get people talking about her sex life. Minaj isn’t afraid to dish about it in the song, especially when it comes to addressing rumors that she supposedly slept with her label mates Drake and Lil’ Wayne.

    In “Only,” which dropped on the morning of Tuesday, October 28, Minaj flat-out denies that she ever had sex with Drake and Lil’ Wayne. The first line that Minaj raps on the song goes, “Yo, I never f–ked Wayne/ I never f–ked Drake/ On my life, man/ f—k’s sake.”

    Far be it for Minaj to ignore the appeal of her rapper friends, because her next line in the song has her admitting she would jump at the chance to bed them if she could. “If I did I’d menage with ‘em and let ‘em eat my a– like cupcake,” she raps.

    Drake and Lil’ Wayne corroborate her story on “Only” with their own verses. “I never f–ked Nicki cause she got a man/ But when that’s over then I’m first in line,” raps Drake. Lil’ Wayne chimes in later with, “I never f–ked Nicki and that’s f–ked up/ If I did f–k she’d be f–ked up/ Whoever is hittin’ ain’t hittin’ it right/ Cause she actin’ like she need d–k in her life/ That’s another story, I’m no story teller.”

    Besides the hot topic of her sex life, Minaj also raps about people thinking her butt was fake and even references Beyonce in the song.

    The track contains a hook by singer Chris Brown and was produced by Dr. Luke, Cirkut and J Mike. “Only” is the latest single off Minaj’s upcoming third album The Pinkprint, which will hit stores on December 15 instead of the previously schedule November release.

    ‘Only’: Nicki Minaj featuring Drake, Lil’ Wayne and Chris Brown (explicit lyrics)

  • Jackie Chan Wants Media To Stop Making False Reports About His Imprisoned Son

    At a press conference for his new movie Skiptrace, Jackie Chan was recently asked about his son Jaycee Chan, who was arrested on drug charges by the Chinese government in August. The elder Chan told reporters on Thursday, October 23, that he wanted to be a better father to Jaycee and implored the press to not hurt his wife, former actress Joan Lin, by printing false news about their son.

    “I know as much about him as everyone else. I ask the media to please not report anything without proof. Please do not hurt Siu Fong Ji’s Mama [Joan Lin] and publish untrue reports. If necessary, I will give a clear explanation to everyone,” said Chan.

    Chan revealed that he has been focusing on his film work, shooting by day and editing by night. He claims that his son’s arrest has had no impact on his career, despite rumors that Chan had to kneel in front of authorities and that the release of his film was delayed. Chan also denied such rumors.

    There were also rumors that Chan and Lin visited Jaycee at a detention center and that Lin wished she had been jailed instead of her son. However, these were denied by Jaycee’s manager, who said that Lin had not left Hong Kong.

    At the press conference in Beijing, Chan admitted that he could have been a better father to his son. “I am always a father. I used to be an unqualified father. Now, after this event, I want to be a qualified father,” he said.

    Jaycee numbered among celebrities who were caught during a crackdown on drug abuse in Beijing and other parts of China earlier this year. More than 100 grams of marijuana were found in his apartment, and Jaycee is accused of accommodating drug users, which could land him up to three years in prison.

  • Da Brat Reunites With Lil Kim And Missy Elliot For Soul Train Awards

    Reuniting for the first time since the 1990s, female rappers Da Brat, Lil’ Kim and Missy Elliott are set to perform at the 2014 Soul Train Awards on November 7 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Da Brat’s performance with Lil’ Kim and Missy can be watched by fans when the awards show airs on BET Networks and CENTRIC on November 30.

    BET and CENTRIC made the announcement of the reunion of ‘90s female rappers on Monday, October 27. Da Brat, Lil’ Kim and Missy will reportedly be performing the single “Not Tonight,” a remix of which they sang together at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards. “Not Tonight” originally appeared as part of Lil’ Kim’s debut album Hard Core, but was rereleased with a new beat and verses from Da Brat, Missy, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes and Angie Martinez to make the “Ladies Night Remix.” Lopes and Martinez also joined Da Brat, Lil’ Kim and Missy onstage at the 1997 VMAs.

    The 1997 single went platinum for Lil’ Kim, and the track was her third consecutive No. 1 on the Billboard Chart.

    Da Brat, Lil’ Kim and Missy will also be helping to honor this year’s recipient of the Legend Award, Kool & The Gang. The female rappers will reportedly be performing a remix from the musical group’s first platinum album with the same title, “Ladies Night.”

    “We are keeping the momentum going with hit-making musical acts from different decades and are thrilled Missy Elliott, Lil’ Kim and Da Brat chose Soul Train Awards 2014 for their reunion,” said Paxton Baker, general manager and executive vice president of CENTRIC, in a statement.

    The 2014 Soul Train Awards signifies a reemergence of Da Brat in the limelight, as her collaborators have also been making attempts to become visible again. Missy recently performed at the BET Awards in June, while Lil’ Kim released her mixtape Hard Core 2k14 last month.